Catherine's Crochet Corner

Some weeks ago I shared a picture of a draft excluder I’d made, and promised to share some tips/some sort of pattern with you all at some point, if there was any interest. There was some interest! And here is the promised pattern.

Though I do hesitate to call it a pattern, because it’s really more of a collection of tips for how I made this specific draft excluder (and, since then, another one).

Both of the draft excluders I’ve made have used Stylecraft Dream Catcher, which is a lovely colour-change DK weight yarn. To my mind it’s on the thinner end of DK, but it’s definitely thicker than 4 ply.

I’ve paired this up each time with another DK yarn; the picture to your left shows you Dream Catcher (in ‘Chinook’) with Stylecraft Bambino (in ‘Heather’). The other one I made was using Stylecraft Batik (in ‘Old Gold’) with Dream Catcher (in ‘Apache’).

Holding two strands double effectively gives you an aran weight yarn, but it also creates a really lovely effect with a solid or semi-solid colour paired with the colour change yarn.

For both of them, I used a 5.5mm hook. You want it tight enough that the stuffing doesn’t really show through, but not so tight that you’re struggling to work! It’s worked amigurumi-style, in rounds without joining, but it does not need to be as tight as if you’re crocheting, say, an amigurumi toy.

I just about managed a long enough draft excluder from a single ball of Bambino – just. There was a certain amoung of judicious stretching and careful stuffing involved. With the Batik version, I used two and a quarter (roughly) balls and definitely had enough yarn for a good long excluder.

I used less than a ball of Dream Catcher for each.

Obviously, you also need something to stuff your draft excluders with. I used the innards of an old duvet. You can use polyfil stuffing, or old clothes/towels/bedding cut into small strips, whatever you like.

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Pattern (US terms)

1. In a magic circle, ch1 then 5sc. Pull beginning yarn end tight. (5 sc)
2. 2sc in next five stitches. (10 sc)
3. Work (2sc in next stitch, sc in next stitch) five times. (15 sc) Work over your beginning tails from here, to secure them.
4. Work (sc in next two stitches, then 2sc in next stitch) five times. (20 sc)
5. Sc in next stitch, then work (2sc in next stitch, sc in next three stitches) four times. Work 2sc in next stitch, then sc in next two stitches. (25 sc)
6. Work (sc in next four stitches, then 2sc in next stitch) five times. (30 sc)
7. Sc in next two stitches, then work (2sc in next stitch, sc in next five stitches) four times. Work 2sc in next stitch, then sc in next three stitches. (35 sc)
8. Work (sc in next six stitches, then 2sc in next stitch) five times. (40 sc)
9. Sc in next three stitches, then work (2sc in next stitch, sc in next seven stitches) four times. Work 2sc in next stitch, then sc in next four stitches. (45 sc)

Work (fpdc around next stitch, hdc in next four stitches), and keep working until your draft excluder is a couple of inches shorter than your door is wide. After the first 45 stitches, your fpdc stitches should all be worked around a previous fpdc. Stuff as you go, including as you go forward with decreases.

Then:

1. Work (sc2tog, then sc in next seven stitches) five times. (40 sc)
2. Sc in next three stitches, then work (sc2tog, then sc in next six stitches) four times. Work sc2tog, then sc in next three stitches. (35 sc)
3. Work (sc2tog, then sc in next five stitches) five times. (30 sc)
4. Sc in next two stitches, then work (sc2tog, then sc in next four stitches) four times. Work sc2tog, then sc in next two stitches. (25 sc)
5. Work (sc2tog, then sc in next three stitches) five times. (20 sc)
6. Sc in next stitch, then work (sc2tog, then sc in next two stitches) four times. Work sc2tog, then sc in next stitch. (15 sc)
7. Work (sc2tog, then sc in next stitch) five times. (10 sc)
8. Work sc2tog five times. (5 sc)

Break off yarn, leaving a long tail. Use this tail to weave in and out of the last five stitches, then pull tight to close. Sew in end.

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They definitely make a difference when put in front of a drafty doorway, so I hope this is a helpful post to some of you 🙂

Take care, all!

xx

Catherine